larrygator

Half of Funtown Pier fell in the ocean during Sandy, the rest of it burned down during the boardwalk fire of 2013. The owner says he might rebuild, but doesn't have the approval to rebuild. It's all in limbo right now. Here is the most recent article I could find about Funtown Pier http://www.app.com/story/news/local/toms-river-area/seaside-park/2015/05/27/beach-buggies-funtown-pier/28012011/?from=global&sessionKey=&autologin= Beach buggies coming to Funtown Pier Jean Mikle, @jeanmikle 10:46 p.m. EDT May 27, 2015 The buggies should be up and running at the Funtown Pier site by sometime next month, after the Seaside Park Planning Board Tuesday unanimously approved Pier owner William Major's application to offer buggy rides on the beach this summer. The buggies are expected to continue operating until the end of September. The rides will feature professional drivers, who will pilot up to three passengers at a time along a course on the beach that will feature berms that the buggies will drive over. The buggies will not race on the course, with speeds being restricted to 15 to 20 miles per hour, according to Richard Schmidt, a former motocross racer who has been teaching safety and education classes for off-road vehicles since 1993. Passengers will be required to wear helmets, goggles and seatbelts while taking the buggy ride. The 12- by 4-foot buggies will pilot riders around the course for about four to five minutes, Schmidt said. The ride's cost has not yet been set. Buggy rides will be allowed from 9 a.m. until 11 p.m. weekdays, and until midnight Fridays and Saturdays. Schmidt, who runs a facility for instruction and off-road riding in Cumberland County's Millville, will manage the beach buggy concession this summer. The buggy rides are a way to draw visitors to an area of the beachfront where businesses have struggled for the two summers, hurt first by the devastation caused by superstorm Sandy, and then the additional damage that resulted from a brutal boardwalk fire. "The people just aren't coming down," Schmidt said. "Why aren't they coming down? There isn't enough to do." Major has declared his intention to rebuild the iconic pier. The buggy concession is a short-term use of the property, to help bring in some income until work on rebuilding the pier can start, he said. In February, Major presented a preliminary plan for rebuilding the landmark pier that includes adding six thrill rides that will soar 200 to 300 feet into the sky. Among the new rides: a zip line with two towers that would allow riders to view the rides and the ocean; a Sky Coaster 195 feet tall; and the high-altitude Space Shot and Turbo Force, in addition to 25 kiddie rides. Before Sandy, Funtown had about 30 rides. The storm damaged many of the rides, and the fire, which happened in September 2013, destroyed all that were left. The fire was started by electrical wiring damaged by Sandy. Major has already received a state Coastal Area Facilities Review Act (CAFRA) permit from the state that allows him to rebuild the pier on the same footprint as before. Business owners in the area have said the loss of Funtown Pier has badly hurt their summer revenue. Planning board members approved the buggy ride application, after board members and residents questioned Major, Schmidt and the project's engineer, Douglas Klee, for more than two hours about everything from potential noise to portable lighting. The board's approval came with a number of conditions, including a requirement that Major seek retroactive approval for pilings and a concrete pad he built on the site without getting approval from the borough. Major must seek approval from the board again if he plans to operate the ride next year, and the buggy rides must comply with all borough noise ordinances. Major agreed to have two employees stationed on the oceanfront side of the buggy course, to make sure people do not sneak onto the course from the beach. A five-foot protective berm will surround the rest of the course. Major, who is a contractor, said he will excavate the course and form the berms using sand that's already on the beach. The state Department of Environmental Protection has indicated that the beach buggy rides are a permitted use on the nearly 3-acre Funtown Pier site, Klee said, and that a CAFRA permit is not needed for this use. Portable 30-foot lights will be brought to the site, as there has been no electricity there since the fire, Major said. The buggies will be fueled with gasoline brought to the site on a Jeep. The vehicles will get gas on a concrete ramp at the site, which will be covered with a pad to absorb any spills. At least some audience members did not support the buggy rides. Patricia DeGutis, of Stockton Avenue, said that the soft sand in Seaside Park could create conditions that are difficult for drivers to navigate, and make the ride dangerous for passengers. "I, personally, wouldn't have any of my close friends or relatives do this," she said. But Shirley Kreszl, of North Bayview Avenue, said residents must remember "that we are a tourist community." "We need to bring people in," she said. "We had rides up there, we had loud noise....Let's bring people in and enjoy our summer season."

My thoughts are along the same line at this point.

The cheap motels in Sandusky are not known for their quality.

Admission to Efteling is much higher than SFMM. For example, season passes are approximately $225 US dollars. In the end you get what you pay for.

Waffle House, there must be at least one Waffle House stop. Sounds like a good trip. Also, can you explain your suggestion for the Park Index so we can consider it. Did you mean "Other things to do in the area", because that is something that we did consider, but decided to focus more on the actual parks.

To me this is the reason there are doing it. I think a lot of B:TR fans feel this way.

I really like the way this coaster looks, definitely not cookie cutter

It's probably cuz it's opening in a park that has only 2 other big coasters, neither of which invert. That still doesn't explain why an enthusiast would care. The general public might care about an inverting coaster, but enthusiasts should not be enthused by an SLC to be point of clamoring about an opening date. Who are you to tell people what they should and shouldn't look forward to? Quit being a dick about it an accept the fact that people.. oh I'm sorry... "Enthusiasts" are actually excited about it. No one cares that you don't think it's "cool" that we're interested in seeing how the old head banger rides with new trains. We're all freaking nerds for liking this hobby anyway. Quit trying to be the exclusionary nerd, because someone doesn't nerd the same way you nerd. And look at the tone you come across with. I would except a civil servant to be more civil. Maybe next week when you return from your temporary ban.

Thanks EB, I'll be adding pictures to the Park Index soon

I'm wondering how much of that video is for promo purposes only. I find it hard to believe they would let people take dogs on the slides or allow people to perform bmx stunts off the ramps. The website says all riders need to wear a life vest, yet none were present in the video. But those slides seem to have escaped from Action Park

While Walter keeps his mouth shut, Claude is behind the scenes leaking information to teenagers and Dipping Dots employees.

The problem is that the general public prefer steel coaster. Many in the general public refuse to ride any wooden coaster. It is a mental block telling them that steel is stronger than wood, therefore wood coaster are more susceptible to falling apart. On the bright side, if the general public were rationale I would never have gotten so many rides on El Toro.

^Nice touch

Eat a cheesesteak for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Try three different places.

I read that they also do the electrical (read: boring) stuff Technically they can do whatever RMC contracts out to other vendors, but to answer the original question Vekoma is not manufacturing

Exactly, the park has upped the thrill factor the past few years with Baron 1898 and Joris en Draak, yet still retains its character and brings in the huge crowds.

Vekoma only performs the sales duty in Europe for RMC?

It's probably cuz it's opening in a park that has only 2 other big coasters, neither of which invert. That still doesn't explain why an enthusiast would care. The general public might care about an inverting coaster, but enthusiasts should not be enthused by an SLC to be point of clamoring about an opening date.

This is speculation or rumor. Confirmation would involve reputable sources being named, who in the media did John Fitzgerald speak to as why didn't that media source announce the news? Maybe John will reveal some hints to the media next Tuesday at NAMTAB media day.

I can't believe that any enthusiasts really care about the T3 opening.

I'm sure they do consider it, but if a company has enough money and wants a certain day there are going to make an offer.

And there is no reason for copyright protection to keep changing everything the Mickey Mouse copyright is up, but Disney money talks. I don't expect amusement tax exemptions to be removed

Gruyere and bacon please.

Has it been confirmed that the test dummies did not complain about the headbanging?

Thanks for the photos, I was curious about the progress of the Sky Fly, but it appears through Screamscape that the ride has now opened since your visit